Receiver-amplifier, self-immolative dendritic device.

Self-immolative dendrimers disassemble through a domino-like chain fragmentation initiated by a single cleavage at the dendrimer core. We have designed and synthesized dendritic molecules that resemble dendritic architectures present in nature. The unique design allows a cleavage signal received by any one of the multiple triggers on one side of the dendrimer to be transferred convergently to a focal point. The signal is divergently amplified through to the other side of the dendrimer, reporter units are released, and fluorescence is emitted. During signal propagation, the dendritic molecule disassembles in a self-immolative manner into small fragments. These compounds are the longest dendritic system ever reported to disassemble through sequential self-immolative reactions. The synthesized dendritic molecules have an architecture and signal-conducting activity related to that of neurons.